Stupid Arrows
by Goth Albino Angel
Summary: On the way to Cyrene's for her birthday, Xena and Gabrielle are held up by an army and Gabrielle is hit with an arrow.


_**I don't own Xena**_

**_Alright, this is in honor of today and tomorrow being International Femslash Days. I'm posting this to mock whoever it was roughly three years ago that told me that this had already been done. I don't give a shit if it's already been done. I wanted fluff so I wrote fluff. Naturally, that led to this. Enjoy._**

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Gabrielle walked beside Argo, grinning up at Xena as the two traveled along a grassy path. It was a warm day, nice, sunny; a day worth relaxing on. Of course, if Gabrielle were to suggest the thought, Xena would simply tell her that they needed to keep moving.

It was to be expected, of course, considering they were heading back to Thracian lands. Xena's mother's birthday was in two days and they needed to move quickly if Xena was going to surprise her mother with a visit and some cooking that Gabrielle had taught her.

These thoughts, naturally, steered her own toward her home. In order to get to Amphipolis, they needed to pass through Potidaean lands. _I wonder if I can stop at home for a few candlemarks, just to see how Lila's doing after the Meleager incident. And it would be nice to have some of mother's cooking again. _

"What are you thinking about?" the voice cut through Gabrielle's thoughts and made her look up at the brunette. "Hm?" she inquired.

Xena raised an eyebrow without looking at her and asked, "What are you thinking about. You're not usually this quiet."

"Just thinking about home, is all. Seeing my family for a candlemark or two before we head to Amphipolis so that you can show Cyrene the new skill to add to your many."

Even without looking up, Gabrielle knew that her friend was smirking at the reminder of having many skills. Some of those skills, Xena had even been teaching Gabrielle herself, such as building campfires and telling one species of plant from another as well as how to treat simple wounds and even one that go more towards fatal than simply mild. Gabrielle had learned quite a bit from her friend, even going so far as to learn trapping to catch prey better for those occasions when they could actually relax and had the time to set the traps.

Xena glanced down at her smaller friend, noticing that she had once again fallen into silence in favor of her own thoughts. Surveying her surroundings, Xena noticed that the nature around them was quieter here than it had been a little further back. Just as this occurred to her, so did the subtle sound of movement. Not even bothering to sigh in frustration, she waited until they had all gotten into position.

Just as the first bolt flew, Xena leaned down to move Gabrielle out of the way only to find that the bard had stepped forward to avoid the bolt from piercing her side. Raising an eyebrow, the warrior smirked at her companion to which Gabrielle shrugged.

"Hey, when you get hit by one, you realize that that's not a sound you'll ever forget, no matter what the form."

"Either way, it would have been impressive if you'd caught it."

"That's not one of the many skills you taught me."

Xena chuckled and they continued on, both hearing their pursuers quite clearly alongside them, but neither being hard pressed to find the men trying to kill them. Bolts came occasionally, but not often enough to be a bother. More so, they were a way to keep the women on their toes, keep their reflexes up, like practice. They spent the rest of the trip in affable silence, neither getting too lost in their thoughts. Whenever Gabrielle would side-step a bolt that was headed for her and it was about to hit Argo, Xena would quickly catch it, break it and toss it behind her.

They were nearing Potidaean territory when the actual attack came. Roughly around fifty to a hundred soldiers rushed from the trees and underbrush to surround the two women who, to their credit, seemed unfazed.

A large warlord with crooked teeth and scraggly hair stepped forward, sword drawn. "Hello again, Xena."

"Hello Noxius" Xena smirked, dismounting Argo. "Wondered when you would join the countless others trying to kill me."

"What? A warlord needs dinars to build an army. And what better way to build an army and a reputation than by killing the most famous warlord to walk the known world?"

"There are several, easier ways to build both. Ways that are much less painful."

"Ah, but not as rewarding." Noxius grinned his crooked-toothed smile and gestured to the warrior. "First one to kill her gets whatever reward he desires short of being commander of the entire army."

As one, the entire army rushed the women. Gabrielle pulled her staff quickly and held it defensively as Xena pulled her sword. Despite being outnumbered one to at least twenty five, Xena and Gabrielle set to work against the men charging toward them. Letting loose her signature kiyiyi, Xena flipped over the men coming at her and slashed her sword in a horizontal arch, ending them with slashes to their sides.

Gabrielle shouted and grunted as she whacked one man with the front of her staff and whenever she would pull back it would whack another until, after three hits they were both down and she slapped another with the very tip. Xena stabbed one man with her sword before pulling her elbow back and slamming it into the gut of another and slashing at her next adversary, slicing open his throat.

Noxius raised an eyebrow and motioned to his archer in the trees. Gabrielle caught the motion as she was knocking out another soldier and noticed the archer. Xena was too busy fighting six men at once and wouldn't have enough time to catch the arrow. Taking a risk, Gabrielle raced for her friend and, using her staff as leverage, jumped in the middle of the group, pushing Xena aside and deflecting the men's swords at the same time. The arrow released and Xena turned, whipping her head to her falling friend.

"Gabrielle!" she shouted, rushing forward and slicing her way through the remaining men crowding her companion. The bard had been hit in the side and Xena needed to treat the wound quickly before she lost too much blood.

Looking up, Xena spotted the archer and let loose her chakram. The perfectly aimed disk shot off a nearby boulder and another tree before slicing into the back of the archer's throat. Then it bounced off another tree and toppled a bird's nest before coming back around to slice the tips off all the men's swords. The soldiers stared at their weapons in awe and dropped them, racing away before Xena could turn her wrath on them. Noxius snarled at his retreating men and pulled his own sword. However, he didn't notice the chakram still bouncing off surfaces and the flying disk came back around to slice right into his hand. Screaming in agony, the warlord stumbled through the trees, shouting curses at the warrior princess as he retreated after his men.

Xena knelt beside Gabrielle and sighed as she realized that she would have to do this again. "You know," she said conversationally. "This would be a lot easier if you would stop getting hit with arrows."

Gabrielle was barely conscious, but she managed to raise her head and glare halfheartedly at the warrior before flopping her head back down.

"On the bright side, it pierced a small place on your side so you won't be threatened by death unless I can't stop this bleeding."

Grabbing the clothing from a downed soldier, the warrior examined it before deeming it clean enough and beginning to remove the arrow. "Remember last time?" the warrior inquired. "With the Persians? This is going to hurt. A lot."

Breaking the tail of the arrow, the brunette slowly pushed the head and remaining shaft through until it came out the other end. Gabrielle wasn't conscious enough to scream and thereby made Xena's job a bit easier. Wrapping the wound in the torn cloth of the soldier's garments, the warrior slowly lifted her downed friend and hoisted her onto Argo. Climbing up after her, Xena spurred Argo into motion and raced as fast as she dared for Potidaea.

Nearing the town, the leather-clad woman slowed her horse and eased her way through the village, being careful not to upset people who were bustling by. Several passersby stopped to watch and many murmured about Gabrielle being hurt atop the horse. Xena inwardly sighed as quite a few villagers began following her all the way to Gabrielle's home. Nearing the small house, Xena noticed that Lila and Hecuba were already on their ways out. Remembering that the last time the family had seen her had been when she was wrongfully accused of abusing Gabrielle, Xena got down from Argo, keeping a steadying hand on Gabrielle as she cautiously neared the house.

"What's going on?" Hecuba called, hurrying forward. "What happened to her?"

"Gabrielle and I were on our way here so that she could hear you when a warlord attacked us. She was shot with an arrow and I did all I could to help her. She isn't injured too badly, she just needs a place to rest for the night until she is well enough to travel again. Or unless she wishes to stay here."

"She doesn't." Lila murmured. "Trust me, Xena. She'll want to continue traveling with you, spreading the story of your goodness across the lands wherever you two will travel. I'll take care of her for the night, Mother." Hecuba nodded and helped Xena carefully dismount Gabrielle's limp form.

"Do you have any clean cloth? The only cloth around that we had was from one of the dead soldiers near us and I don't want her to be infected."

"Yes. Yes, we have some. Lila, go fetch one of the sheets; we'll cover her in that."

Slowly, with the help of one or two of the villagers, Gabrielle was carried inside and laid out on her old bed. Xena tore the sheet that Lila brought her into strips and slowly removed the dirty cloth she'd wrapped her friend's wound in. It wasn't looking any worse, which meant that the arrow hadn't been poisoned.

_Thank the Gods._ Xena praised mentally as she began cleaning the wound with some water that Lila had thought to bring over. Hecuba set about cleaning the rest of the wound as Xena made sure the cloth was ready. When the older woman deemed the injury ready to be bound, the warrior wrapped the wound slowly, trying to cause her unconscious friend as little pain as possible. Xena sat by the bed and waited for Gabrielle to wake up. Lila had brought in supper and was about to get ready for bed by the time the blonde finally awoke.

Groaning, Gabrielle lifted her head and glanced to Xena, smiling weakly. "How long was I out?" she asked.

"Only a few candlemarks. It gives us enough time to still make it to Amphipolis tomorrow if we stay for the night."

Gabrielle nodded and slowly sat up. "Thanks again for saving me from an arrow hit."

Xena shrugged and continued what she was doing which, at that moment, happened to be sharpening her chakram. Gabrielle took Xena's hands in her own and made the warrior face her before gently pressing her lips to those of the older woman.

Lila walked back in in time to see the kiss ending and the smile that Gabrielle gave to her warrior companion. The dark-haired sister slowly backed out and wondered briefly, _Should I sleep in there or should I give them their privacy?_

"It's alright, Lila." Both women in the room called. "You can sleep in here, nothing will happen."

The younger brunette let out a breath of relief and moved into the room. Grinning, she settled herself down in bed and blew out the candle as Xena stood and walked out. The next morning, after a tear-felt goodbye from Hecuba and a promise to write more often from Gabrielle, she and Xena were on their way.

There were, thankfully, no more attempts on either of their lives and they made it safely to Amphipolis. As they passed through, Villagers smiled and waved to them as they passed. Xena smirked as she rode Argo to the stables and carefully helped Gabrielle dismount the large mare. The bard used her staff as a walking stick as the duo made their way to the door of the inn.

Inside, they found several villagers bustling about, many of them wishing Cyrene an early happy birthday. The innkeeper looked up as the door opened and she hurried over to them, taking in Gabrielle's wound.

What happened?" she inquired.

"Just another warlord looking to make a name for himself." Xena replied, helping Gabrielle to a seat near the counter.

Cyrene nodded and brought over a cup of water for the bard. "If that's the case then what took so long?"

Gabrielle snorted derisively and the duo chorused, "Stupid arrows."

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_**Like I said, this is pretty much a large FU to whoever it was years ago who told me I couldn't write this. Well, I REWROTE it AND made it better. Take that.** _

**_Aside from that, just wanted to let you guys know I'm now on Tumblr (gothalbinoangel-fiction), Twitter ((a)gothalbinoangel), a Facebook (Goth Albino Angel) and an Archive of Our Own account (GothAlbinoAngel). There are more details on my profile._**

**_Care to drop me a review for my troubles?_**


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